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nary laboratory and hospitals； re…opened the schools； protected commerce； mercilessly hanging Russian and Mongolian soldiers for pillaging Chinese firms。
In one of these cases his Commandant arrested two Cossacks and a Mongol soldier who had stolen brandy from one of the Chinese shops and brought them before him。 He immediately bundled them all into his car； drove off to the shop； delivered the brandy back to the proprietor and as promptly ordered the Mongol to hang one of the Russians to the big gate of the compound。 With this one swung he commanded： 〃Now hang the other！〃 and this had only just been accomplished when he turned to the Commandant and ordered him to hang the Mongol beside the other two。 That seemed expeditious and just enough until the Chinese proprietor came in dire distress to the Baron and plead with him：
〃General Baron！ General Baron！ Please take those men down from my gateway； for no one will enter my shop！〃
After the commercial quarter was flashed past our eyes； we entered the Russian settlement across a small river。 Several Russian soldiers and four very spruce…looking Mongolian women stood on the bridge as we passed。 The soldiers snapped to salute like immobile statues and fixed their eyes on the severe face of their Commander。 The women first began to run and shift about and then； infected by the discipline and order of events； swung their hands up to salute and stood as immobile as their northern swains。 The Baron looked at me and laughed：
〃You see the discipline！ Even the Mongolian women salute me。〃
Soon we were out on the plain with the car going like an arrow； with the wind whistling and tossing the folds of our coats and caps。 But Baron Ungern； sitting with closed eyes； repeated： 〃Faster！ Faster！〃 For a long time we were both silent。
〃And yesterday I beat my adjutant for rushing into my yurta and interrupting my story；〃 he said。
〃You can finish it now；〃 I answered。
〃And are you not bored by it？ Well； there isn't much left and this happens to be the most interesting。 I was telling you that I wanted to found an order of military Buddhists in Russia。 For what？ For the protection of the processes of evolution of humanity and for the struggle against revolution； because I am certain that evolution leads to the Divinity and revolution to bestiality。 But I worked in Russia！ In Russia； where the peasants are rough； untutored； wild and constantly angry； hating everybody and everything without understanding why。 They are suspicious and materialistic； having no sacred ideals。 Russian intelligents live among imaginary ideals without realities。 They have a strong capacity for criticising everything but they lack creative power。 Also they have no will power； only the capacity for talking and talking。 With the peasants； they cannot like anything or anybody。 Their love and feelings are imaginary。 Their thoughts and sentiments pass without trace like futile words。 My companions； therefore； soon began to violate the regulations of the Order。 Then I introduced the condition of celibacy； the entire negation of woman； of the comforts of life； of superfluities； according to the teachings of the Yellow Faith； and； in order that the Russian might be able to live down his physical nature； I introduced the limitless use of alcohol； hasheesh and opium。 Now for alcohol I hang my officers and soldiers； then we drank to the 'white fever；' delirium tremens。 I could not organize the Order but I gathered round me and developed three hundred men wholly bold and entirely ferocious。 Afterward they were heroes in the war with Germany and later in the fight against the Bolsheviki； but now only a few remain。〃
〃The wireless； Excellency！〃 reported the chauffeur。
〃Turn in there！〃 ordered the General。
On the top of a flat hill stood the big； powerful radio station which had been partially destroyed by the retreating Chinese but reconstructed by the engineers of Baron Ungern。 The General perused the telegrams and handed them to me。 They were from Moscow； Chita； Vladivostok and Peking。 On a separate yellow sheet were the code messages； which the Baron slipped into his pocket as he said to me：
〃They are from my agents； who are stationed in Chita； Irkutsk； Harbin and Vladivostok。 They are all Jews； very skilled and very bold men； friends of mine all。 I have also one Jewish officer； Vulfovitch； who commands my right flank。 He is as ferocious as Satan but clever and brave。 。 。 。 Now we shall fly into space。〃
Once more we rushed away； sinking into the darkness of night。 It was a wild ride。 The car bounded over small stones and ditches； even taking narrow streamlets； as the skilled chauffeur only seemed to guide it round the larger rocks。 On the plain； as we sped by； I noticed several times small bright flashes of fire which lasted but for a second and then were extinguished。
〃The eyes of wolves；〃 smiled my companion。 〃We have fed them to satiety from the flesh of ourselves and our enemies！〃 he quietly interpolated； as he turned to continue his confession of faith。
〃During the War we saw the gradual corruption of the Russian army and foresaw the treachery of Russia to the Allies as well as the approaching danger of revolution。 To counteract this latter a plan was formed to join together all the Mongolian peoples which had not forgotten their ancient faiths and customs into one Asiatic State； consisting of autonomous tribal units； under the moral and legislative leadership of China； the country of loftiest and most ancient culture。 Into this State must come the Chinese； Mongols； Tibetans； Afghans； the Mongol tribes of Turkestan； Tartars； Buriats； Kirghiz and Kalmucks。 This State must be strong； physically and morally； and must erect a barrier against revolution and carefully preserve its own spirit； philosophy and individual policy。 If humanity； mad and corrupted； continues to threaten the Divine Spirit in mankind； to spread blood and to obstruct moral development； the Asiatic State must terminate this movement decisively and establish a permanent； firm peace。 This propaganda even during the War made splendid progress among the Turkomans； Kirghiz； Buriats and Mongols。 。 。 。 〃Stop！〃 suddenly shouted the Baron。
The car pulled up with a jerk。 The General jumped out and called me to follow。 We started walking over the prairie and the Baron kept bending down all the time as though he were looking for something on the ground。
〃Ah！〃 he murmured at last； 〃He has gone away。 。 。 。〃
I looked at him in amazement。
〃A rich Mongol formerly had his yurta here。 He was the outfitter for the Russian merchant； Noskoff。 Noskoff was a ferocious man as shown by the name the Mongols gave him'Satan。' He used to have his Mongol debtors beaten or imprisoned through the instrumentality of the Chinese authorities。 He ruined this Mongol； who lost everything and escaped to a place thirty miles away； but Noskoff found him there； took all that he had left of cattle and horses and left the Mongol and his family to die of hunger。 When I captured Urga； this Mongol appeared and brought with him thirty other Mongol families similarly ruined by Noskoff。 They demanded his death。 。 。 。 So I hung 'Satan' 。 。 。〃
Anew the motor car was rushing along； sweeping a great circle on the prairie； and anew Baron Ungern with his sharp； nervous voice carried his thoughts round the whole circumference of Asian life。
〃Russia turned traitor to France； England and America； signed the Brest…Litovsk Treaty and ushered in a reign of chaos。 We then decided to mobilize Asia against Germany。 Our envoys penetrated Mongolia； Tibet； Turkestan and China。 At this time the Bolsheviki began to kill all the Russian officers and we were forced to open civil war against them； giving up our Pan…Asiatic plans； but we hope later to awake all Asia and with their help to bring peace and God back to earth。 I want to feel that I have helped this idea by the liberation of Mongolia。〃
He became silent and thought for a moment。
〃But some of my associates in the movement do not like me because of my atrocities and severity；〃 he remarked in a sad voice。 〃They cannot understand as yet that we are not fighting a political party but a sect of murderers of all contemporary spiritual culture。 Why do the Italians execute the 'Black Hand' gang？ Why are the Americans electrocuting anarchistic bomb throwers？ and I am not allowed to rid the world of those who would kill the soul of the people？ I； a Teuton； descendant of crusaders and privateers； I recognize only death for murderers！ 。 。 。 Return！〃 he commanded the chauffeur。
An hour and a half later we saw the electric lights of Urga。
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE CAMP OF MARTYRS
Near the entrance to the town； a motor car stood before a small house。
〃What does that mean？〃 exclaimed the Baron。 〃Go over there！〃
Our car drew up beside the other。 The house door opened sharply； several officers rushed out and tried to hide。
〃Stand！〃 commanded the General。 〃Go back inside。〃 They obeyed and he entered after them； leaning on his tashur。 As the door remained open； I could see and hear everything。
〃Woe to them！〃 whispered the chauffeur。 〃Our officers knew that the B